Attorneys

Partner

Tony F. Ortiz

Mr. Ortiz is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating of qualification given for ethics and legal ability. Less than ten percent (10%) of firms nationwide are rated AV.  In his almost three decades of practice, he has represented state and local public bodies, school districts, personal injury clients and many private litigants in state and federal court.  Mr. Ortiz regularly works in the areas of contract, employment, civil rights claims, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and property matters.

 In addition to providing day-to-day services for his institutional clients, Mr. Ortiz is a litigation attorney both in defense and plaintiffs cases.  In this regard, Mr. Ortiz has appeared in most of New Mexico’s district courts, before the New Mexico Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as the federal district courts of New Mexico, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.  In a recent example, Mr. Ortiz successfully tried and won a jury verdict against a large hospital for malpractice exceeding $1.3 million dollars.

Mr. Ortiz is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of Michigan Law School, and he also was a New Mexico Supreme Court Judicial Clerk early in his career before starting in private practice.  After several years of working with other New Mexico firms, Mr. Ortiz started his own law firm in 2013, and invited Mr. Zamora to join him in 2015. Because of the enthusiastic response from clients, the firm has grown to five lawyers.

Mr. Ortiz’s lengthy experience and his track record of success make him a uniquely good choice for legal services, whether it involves negotiating a deal or trying your case to a jury.

Partner

Geno Zamora

Mr. Zamora utilizes 28 year law practice and his diverse background in law, business, and public policy to provide his clients with legal, policy and strategic direction for issues including education, employment and labor, risk management, procurement, real estate & land use, litigation, water, civil & human rights, government relations,  open government, and personal injury.  Prior to forming Ortiz & Zamora with his law partner Tony Ortiz, Mr. Zamora served as in-house General Counsel for the Santa Fe Public School District and, in 2015, attended the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s National Institute for Urban School Leaders.  As part of his law practice, Mr. Zamora has also served as contract associate counsel for New Mexico Highlands University.

Mr. Zamora has served as chief legal officer and senior policy advisor roles, including Chief Counsel for the Governor of New Mexico, City Attorney for the City of Santa Fe, General Counsel for the New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Assistant Attorney General.  As Chief Counsel to the Governor, Mr. Zamora managed over 25 in-house counsels and over 40 outside law firms.  In his public service roles, Mr. Zamora has focused on reducing the risk and litigation expenses of governmental entities, reducing expenses through improved procurement procedures, minimizing project delays, and negotiating solutions for costly litigation. 

Mr. Zamora is a 1991 graduate of the Georgetown University School of Business, and a 1994 graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law.  Mr. Zamora is a former Chief Analyst for the New Mexico House of Representatives Leadership Office during the 2001 regular and special legislative sessions.

Senior Associate

Daniel R. Rubin

Mr. Rubin has practiced law in New Mexico since 1997. He has served as Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant Attorney General for numerous public clients, including the State Engineer’s Office, the Interstate Stream Commission, and as Administrative Prosecutor for the New Mexico Medical Board. Prior to joining the firm, he served as General Counsel for the Regulation and Licensing Department. Mr. Rubin regularly works in the areas of civil rights, municipal law, employment law, and regulatory and administrative law matters.

Mr. Rubin has appeared in many of New Mexico’s district courts, before the New Mexico Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as the federal district courts in both Texas and New Mexico and the 5th and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Previous Experience

• New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, General Counsel

  Match 2019-March 2020

• New Mexico regulation and Licensing Department, Division Counsel

  Alcohol Beverage Control Division June 2015 – March 2019

• Prosecutor, New Mexico Medical Board May, 2012, March 2015

• Special Assistant Attorney General, State Engineer’s Office/Interstate Stream Commission January 2003 – April 2012

• Attorney General’s Office, Civil Division July 1999 – December 2002

• Associate, Coppler & Mannick. September 1996 – August 1998

  Bar Admissions

  • New Mexico
  
  
  

Of Counsel

Jessica R. Terrazas

Ms. Terrazas is a Of-Counsel with Ortiz & Zamora.  She focuses her practice in municipal defense, employment law, and school board representation.  Prior to coming to Ortiz & Zamora, Ms. Terrazas was a litigator with the Rodey Law Firm with an emphasis on health law and medical malpractice.  Prior to joining the Rodey Law Firm, Ms. Terrazas clerked for the Honorable Edward L. Chávez of the New Mexico Supreme Court.

During law school, Ms. Terrazas was a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Team and a semi-finalist at the National Latina/o Law Student Association Moot Court Competition.  She served two terms as president of the Mexican American Law Student Association (MALSA).  Ms. Terrazas also studied abroad in Santiago de Chile, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, with American University Washington College of Law.  She received the Esteban A. Aguilar Award for Outstanding Advocacy and the University of New Mexico School of Law Dean’s Award.  

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Terrazas worked as a union organizer and lobbyist in Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York. 

Ms. Terrazas has earned the designation of “Rising Star” in the 2016-2018, 2020-2021 editions of Southwest Super Lawyers for her experience and expertise in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Employment Law.

Associate Attorney

Meagan R. Muñoz

 Ms. Muñoz is a Junior Associate with Ortiz & Zamora. She focuses her practice in municipal defense and school board representation.  Prior to coming to Ortiz & Zamora, Ms. Muñoz served as a consultant for the New Mexico National Education Association Center for Community Schools and interned at the Public Education Department’s Office of General Counsel, the Law Offices of the Public Defender’s Juvenile Branch in Albuquerque, and the Legislative Education Study Committee as a law student. Prior to attending the University of New Mexico School of Law, Ms. Muñoz was a classroom teacher in her hometown of Hobbs, New Mexico, serving as a fourth-grade teacher and a middle school P.E. coach.

During law school, Ms. Muñoz received the Child and Family Justice Scholarship Award, also participating in the Jaramillo Summer Clerkship Program and the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project.  Ms. Muñoz is currently working toward her master’s degree in educational leadership through New Mexico Highlands University as a Ben Lujan Leadership and Public Policy Fellow. She plans to graduate in Summer 2023.  Ms. Muñoz also currently serves as a Board Member for the Young Alumni Chapter of the UNM Alumni Board.